The invention relates to ball-valves or ballcocks integrally provided with threadless metallic fittings and, more particularly, the present invention relates to a threadless fitting that incorporates both a male portion and a female portion formed as an integral unitary structure.
Ball-valves are used in a variety of piping, tubing and conduit systems that handle gases and liquids. A typical ball-valve includes a center ball provided with a through-passage or passageway. In a manually operated valve, a handle is connected to the ball to rotate the ball and the though-passageway in a manner that either aligns the passageway with opposed ports in the valve housing or positions the passageway crosswise of the ports.
Pipes have historically been connected to the ball valves by welding. However, welding pipe to valve bodies is undesirable for several reasons. For example, in welding pipe to the body of a ballcock, the ballcock has to be disassembled and seals removed from the ballcock so that the heat of the welding process does not damage the seals. Another problem that can be encountered with such welding is the case where the ballcock and piping is located near walls or other structures and where the limited space makes it difficult to provide a complete welding pass around the circumference of the pipe and ballcock.
The present invention provides in combination with a ball-valve, an improvement comprising a threadless metallic fitting that incorporates both a male portion and a female portion formed as an integral unitary structure extending from at least one end wall of a housing portion of the ball-valve. The threadless metallic fitting includes a sleeve portion having a female interior surface adapted for receiving one of a tube and a pipe section therein and a male exterior surface having at least two distinct cylindrical sections. There is also a driver member having at least two distinct cylindrical sections for engaging the male exterior surface of the sleeve portion for deforming the sleeve portion and concurrently deforming such one of such tube and pipe section engaged within the sleeve portion when the driver member is forced longitudinally along the male exterior surface of the sleeve portion so as to effect an air tight seal between the pipe section and the female interior surface of the fitting.
It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a ball valve with threadless fittings for connections with tubes or pipes.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a ball valve with connections that do not require welding.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an airtight seal between the pipe and section and the interior of the threadless fitting.
In addition to the numerous objects and advantages of the present invention which have been described with some degree of particularity above, it should be both noted and understood that a number of other important objects and advantages of the ball vlve with a threadless fitting will become more readily apparent to those persons who are skilled in the relevant art from the following more detailed description of the invention, particularly, when such detailed description is taken in conjunction with the appended claims.